Improvement in ironing apparatus



- z sh etssheet 2L 7 'I'.- S. WILES & A. P. ADAMS.

momma APPARATUS.

I Patented Feb. 1, 1876;

No.-173,Q96.

g I WVENTIO/RQLLQQIZCI' f/WA/ 40734 WITNESSES N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPNER, Wns'umsrou. n, c.

UNI ED STAT S- PATENrOFFIcE.

THOMAS S, WILESAND ALONZO P. ADAMS, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.,

lMPROVEM'ENT IN momma APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,096, dated February 1 1876; application filed November 19, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS SHIRES WILES and ALONZO PELTo v ADAMS, both of the city of Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ironing-Machines, of which the followir g is a specification, reference being had to the ac- ,c'ompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 is a plan, of an ironing-machine which embodies our invention. Figs. 3 and 4 show different forms of ironing and clothed rollers, thatmay be used in the place of those shown inFigs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the same machine at the line as w in Figs. 1 and 2, and elevation of the parts in front of that line; and Fig. 6 is a section at the same line and elevation of parts in rear thereof. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section'of a portion of the same machine at the liney y in Figs. 2, 5, and 6. Fig. 8 is a sideview of the part of a tubular shaft to which the ironing-roller is secured. Fig. 9 is an end view of the part of the shaft on which the clothes-roller is mounted; and Fig. 10 is a section of the same andof thehub of the clothed roller thereon, at the line z z in Fig. 7. I q

Like letters of. reference indicate" like parts in the different figures.

I In the aforesaid drawings, A is an ironingroller, which has a smooth hard surface ,of cast-ironor other. suitable metal or mate rial, and is hollow, so that it can be heated internally. This ironingroller is arranged to turn in surface-contact with a clothed roller, B, which has an elastic covering of felt, flannel, cloth, or othersuitable fabric or fabrics, with an outer surface of muslin or other suitablecloth or fabric which will absorb and discharge moisture,-and will not slip as easily-as the heated ironi'ngroller against damp articles of cloth passing between the two rollers in being thereby ironed, and whichcovering, .by' its elasticity, will temporarily yield to hems, seams, and other thickparts of the passing articles, so as to thereby materially prevent injury thereto, and tend to equalize the pressure and ironing action of the ironingroller against the thinner and thicker parts of the articles in passing between the two rollers. For ironing articles that are straight and flat, we generally prefer to make the clothed cated cones united at their smallest circumferences, as shown in Fig. 4, and make the ironing-roller A of any suitable corresponding shape. v

By thus having the clothed roller B of tapering form, it will feed and present curved collars and other articles to the ironing-roller,

and cause themto be ironed in a curved course, corresponding moreror less nearly to,

their curved shape. The clothed and ironingrollers B A shown in Fig.4 will iron at one operation the whole of one side surface of gentlemens flaring collars and similar articles, each having two circularlycurved,parts united along their edges of shortest ture. r

In order to make a groove-like crease in one side of articles of cloth,- for ornamentation or preparatory to folding, and to iron the articles onthe same side at the same operation,

we construct the ironing-roller A with aprojecting rib, w, on and around its ironing-surface, so that, by once passing the articles between that roller, suitably heated, and the roller B, the rib w, in connection with the elastic covering of the latter roller, will crease or continuously-indent the articles without material injury thereto, on the side next to the ironingroller, which will, at the same time, iron the article on the same side. That result could not be produced by a groove in and around ihe ironing-roller, and a corresponding raised rib on and around the clothed roller, for such a construction would make a raised rib instead of a groovedike crease on the inner surface of acollar or other article in ironing that surface preparatory to folding, and a raised rib on that surface of the article which is to be folded inward would prevent the proper folding of the article along and over the raised rib.

We have the annular rib w on the roller A, whatever may be the shape of that roller, or of the clothed roller B, whenever the articles require to be creased and simultaneously ironed on one and the same side, by passing once between the two rollers.

In order to ironturn-over collars and other articles on one side, and simultaneouslycrease the same on vthe same side, and in a curved course, preparatory to folding,v or for ornanientation, we make the ironing-roller A with a rib, w, arranged on and around any suitable part thereof, and combine the same with a clothed roller, B, of an ysuitable tapering form.

A turn-over collar is represented by dotted lines in Fig. 2. In order to crease suchcollars in a curved course, and at the same operation iron only the band part '11, after the turnover part a has been completely-ironed, we arrange the creasing-rib to around and upon one end part of the ironing-roller A, and opoposite to the largest end portion of a suitably-tapered clothed roller, B, substantially as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the rollers in creasing the collar in a curved line or course, at t, and ironing the band part 12, shall not act upon or materially injure the finish of the turnover part a. We make the hub of the clothed roller B tubular, with an internal longitudinal groove, 8, Figs. 7 and 10, and fit it freely upon the part 10 of a rotary shaft, 0, and upon a stud, r, Fig. 9, thereon, and between end bearings q q, and we make the bore of the roller B largest at its ends,and tapered to its middle, where it is smallest, so that the roller B, while being revolved by the shaft 0, can rock lengthwise on the part 19 of that shaft, so as to thereby insure the proper accurate bearing of the clothed surface of the roller B againstthe ironing-surface of the roller A, although the surface of the roller B shall be somewhat uneven and eccentric, and

whatever shall be the ordinary variations in.

the shape, size, and thickness of articles passing between the rollers.

Instead of making the bore of the roller B tapering from both ends to the middle, it may becylindrieal, when the inclosed part 10 of the shaft shall be largest in or about its middle, and tapered thence to its ends, so that the roller B can rock lengthwise thereon; or both the bore of the roller B and the inclosed part 10 of 1 the shaft 0 may be tapered, so as to let that roller rock on its driving-shaft.

We arrange the clothed roller B on the overhanging end part 19 of the shaft 0, that is supported by journal-bearingso 0 in the the frame E, at one end only of the roller B, and detachably secure that roller thereon by means of a removable screw-nut, n, Fig. 7,

and washer q, or any equivalent device, in order that wristbands 011 the sleeves and collars on the bodies of the shirts may be passed between that roller and the ironing-roller A, and thereby ironed while the sleeves and bodies of the shirts shall extend and pass outside of the unsupported and unobstructed end of the clothed roller, and so that the clothed roller B can be readily removed from the shaft 0 without displacing the latter or removing it from its hearings in the frame E, to permit the covering of that roller to be conveniently removed and renewed in whole or in part whenever the covering shall become soiled or scorched by the ironing-roller,'or worn out, and to allow another similar roller to be quickly secured upon the overhanging end part 12 of the shaft 0, and thereby used in combination with the ironing-roller while making such repairs.

We arrange the hollow ironing-roller A on, and so as to be turned with and by, the overhanging end part iof a tubular shaft, D, that is mounted to turn in journal-bearings in the frame E at one end only of the ironing-roller, and detachably secure that roller to the part t of the tubular shaft by male and female screws, as indicated in 'Figs..7 and 8, or by equivalent means, in order that, while that roller may be suitably heated internally by any suitable burner, Z, supported within the roller, and supplied by extensions through the tubular shaft D, parts of very large articles may be convenientlypassed between and ironed by the rollers A and B, while the main portion of the articles may extend and pass outside of the unobstructed end of the ironingroller, and so that without disturbing the burner, and without removing the shaft D from its hearings in the frame E, the ironingroller A can be readily separated and removed from the shaft D, to permit the burner to be inspected and cleaned, and to allow any other suitable ironing roller, with or without a creasing rib or ribs, or ribbing groove or grooves, in its ironing-surface, tobe secured upon the tubular shaft D,and heated and used thereon in combination with the same clothed roller, as is of much importance in ironing various collars and other articles with and without creases or ribs in the ironed surface.

We secure the hollow ironing-roller A-upon the overhanging end part of the tubular shaft D, and secure the clothed roller B upon the overhanging end part of the rotary shaft (3, each in the detachable way above specified, so that the two rollers can be quickly removed from those shafts to permit any other suitable hollow ironing-roller and clothed roller of very different shape to be secured in the same places and by like means on the shaftsfi) and D, as indicated by Figs. '3 and 4, without removingeither of those shafts from their bearings in the frame E, whereby the machine is made capable of ironing collars, cufis, and

other articles of very different shapes and 0011- structions, either separate or attached to shirts or, other large articles which will, have free passage-way outside of the uncovered ends of the two rollers.

It has been heretofore-proposed to have an internally-heated ironing;roller and a bedroller mounted on the overhanging ends of twolrotary shafts supported in journal bearings in a frame at one end only of the two rollers, but without having theironing-roller and bed-roller readily detachable from their supporting-shafts by means of fastening devices, substantially such as are hereinbefore described for such purposes.

Fluting-machines have been heretofore devised with two rolls, each composed of a holing-roller with a lateral opening or openings,

h, Figs. 7 and 8, between the ironing-surface of that roller and the adjacent journal-bearing of that shaft, and with-a tlue or conductor,

Gr, (shown mostly broken off around the said shaft,) and lateral opening or openings h, and

extended away therefrom, so that when gas or vapor shall be burned in the ironing-roller to heat the latter the highly-heated gaseous products of such combustion shall pass off through and be conducted away by the said lateral opening or openings It and flue G, and thereby avoid passing throughand overheating the journal or journals and bearing or bearings of the ironing-roller shaft, and also avoid escaping into the open air at either end of the roller, where such highly-heated gases would be liablev to scorch and injure projecting portions ofpassin'g articles in being ironed. As shown by the drawings, the ironing-roller A can be removed, from the tubular shaft 1) and replaced thereon,or another secured in its place, without removing or disturbin g either the lateral apertures h or the conductor Grfor the discharge of the gaseous products of combustion from the ironing-roller.

We mount the tubular shaft D' of' the ironing-roller in a journal-box, F, pivoted to the frame E at the end of thatshaft farthest from the ironing-roller, and in, a journal-box, F, movable between'guides g 9 adjacent to the ironing-roller, in order that the hollow shaft D and ironing-roller A thereon can, while revolving, be moved or vibrated-on and withthe pivoted journal-box F as an axis, so as to thereby move. the ironing-roller away from contact with the clothed roller B, to prevent burning the latter when the rollers are at rest, and so as to replace the ironing-roller against'the clothed roller, all by means. of any suitable mechanical device properly applied to only the. one journal-box F adjacent to the ironing-roller, and without disengaging the two shafts O and D when geared together by toothed wheels adjacent to the pivoted journalbox, and so that a gas-burner and supplypipes may extend from the outside through the tubular shaft D and into theironing-roller to heat the latter, and be fastened to the said pivoted journal-box F, so that'the burner will be thereby constantly supported in the same position within the ironing-roller, and vibrated with that roller and the shaft D without turning therewith. I

We pivot the journal-box F to the frame E by means of set-screws b b, Fig. 2, having jour- 'nal-like ends or points, incorresponding sockets in the journahbox, or by means of trunnions projecting from the'journal-box into I corresponding sockets in the frame,,or by any other suitable means or construction.

We genera'lly'prefer to heat the hollow ironing-roller by a burner of the kind described inUnited States Letters Patent No-l165fl75, dated July 20, 1875. Such ajburner can be secured within the ironing-roller, and to the I pivoted journal-box F, by'means of a bracket, a, faston that box, as shown in Fig. 7;but any suitable burner or heater may be used to heat the hollow ironing-roller in carrying'out our present invention.

For convenience in lighting the burner and 7 viewing the state of its combustion within the roller A, .we commonly have in the outer unsupported end of that roller an opening with or without a movable cover of mica, metal, or other suitable material. i s

In order to force the ironing-roller A against the clothed roller B with the proper yielding pressure, we connect the journal-box F by united rods H H to levers 'l, fulcru-med or pivoted to the frame E at ff, and furnished with detachable weights 1' I Asa convenient means for removing the ironingroller ,A from the clothed roller B and reapplying the same thereto, we pivot a treadle-lever, K, Fig. 1, at e, to the frame E, and connect that lever to the unitedro'ds H H by an adjustable rod, L, and a lever, -M, fulcrumed upon a cross-bar, M, so that while the lever K is left free, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the weighted levers I will press the ironing-roller against the clothed roller and so that by depressing the lever K, as indicatedby dotted linesin Fig. 1, the pressure of the weighted levers I will be overcome, and the roller A, with the shaft D, will be raised away from the roller B and about the pivoted journal-box F, as an axis. When the treadlelever'K is thus depressed it may be turned to. I

one side, under a stop, J, as indicated bydottedlines in Fig.5, so as to thereby keep the ironing-roller away from the cloth ed roller until the lever K shall be turned back 'from under the stop.

United States Letters Patent No. 145,034, dated November 25, 1873, describes an internally-heated ironing-roller, turning in surfacecontact with a cloth-covered roller, and at a faster surface-speed than the latter, so as to give a polished ironed surface to the articles passed between those two rollers. That patent also describes another internally-heated ironing-roller turning in contact with another cloth-covered roller, and at substantially the same surface-speed as the latter, so as to give a lusterless finish to the ironed surface of the goods passed between them.

To make thelsame ironing-roller A and clothed roller B produce either 'a polished ironed surface or a luster-less one on articles of cloth passed between those two rollers, we combine with the driving-shafts G and D thereof any suitable combination of gear-wheels, whereby the same ironing roller A can-be turned by one and the same driving-shaft, either at a faster or different surface-speed than the clothed roller B, or at substantially the same surface-speed as the latter. A good combination of gear-wheels for that purpose consists of the toothed wheel N, fast on the shaft 0, and gearing into a pinion, j, that is mounted to turn on a fixed stnd-bar,j, and is fast to a spur-wheel, k, which gears into a pinion, I, that is mounted to turn on a stud,

t, and a pinion, m, which is secured upon the shaft D by a groove and feather or equivalent means, so that the pinion m can be slid on the shaft D and adjusted thereon, so as to engage either with the wheel N or the pinion l. When the pinion m is engaged with the pinion l, as shown in full lines in Figs. 1, 2, and 7, the shaft D will then receive rotary motion from the shaft (3 through and "by the wheels and pinions N, j, k, l, and 112, so that the roller A will turn at a much faster surface-speed than the roller B, and will thereby polish the surface that it irons. When the pinion m is engaged with the wheel N, as indicated .by dotted lines in Fig. 1, that wheel and pinion will make the shaft 0 turn the shaft D, so that the surface-speed of the ironing-roller A will be about the same as that of the clothed roller B, so that the roller A will leave a lusterless (r domestic finish on the surface that it irons. A shifter, 0, extending into a groove, 61, in the hub of the pinion m, and mounted to slide on a fixed bar, 0, and furnished with a set-screw, d, may be used in adjusting and securing the pinion m in engagement with either the wheel N or the pinion Z.

In ironing collars and other articles of three, four, or more layers of linen or cotton cloth, by passing the same between a heated ironing-roller and a clothed roller, those rollers require to be turned very much slower than when ironing articles of only one or two lay-y ers of like cloth. Consequently, to give from one and the same shaft, turning at a constant rate of speed, very different rates of speedto the ironing and clothed rollers at different timeswithout altering the rate of speed of one of those rollers in respect to the other,

we combine with the shaft 0 l and a driving shaft, P, a gear-wheel, Q, fast on the shaftG, and gearing into a pinion, R, mounted to turn on a stud, R, and fastened to a wheel, S, that engages with a pinion, T, mounted to turn on a stud, T, and secured to a wheel, U, that gears with a pinion, V, mountedlto turn on a stud, V, and fastened to a wheel, W, and a pinion, X, which is secured upon the shaft P by a groove and feather, or equivalentm'eans, so that the pinion X can be slid on the shaft P and adjusted thereon, so as to engage either with the wheel S or the wheel W. When the pinion X is engagedwithahe wheel S, the shaft P will give rotary motion to the shaft 0 through the pinion X, wheel S, pinion R, and

' wheel Q, and will give much faster rotary motion to the rollers A and B, as required to iron articles of only one or two layers of cloth than when the pinion X is engaged with the wheel W, as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2, so

that the shaftP will turn the shaft (3 through and by the pinion X, wheel W, pinion V, wheel U, pinion T, wheel S, pinion .R, and wheel Q, and thereby give to the rollers A and B suitable speed for ironing articles of three, four, or more layers of cloth.

A shifter, Y, fitted to slide. on a stud, Y, and extended into a groove, 0, Fig. 7, in the hub of the pinion X, and furnished with a setscrew, 0, may be used in adjusting and securing the pinion X in engagement with either of the wheels W and S.

By securing the wheel'Uin the place .of the pinion V, and the pinion Vin the place of the wheel U, and by changing the wheel U and pinion V for others of suitable differentsizes, still further differences will be made in the rate of speed which the rollers A and B will receive from the driving-shaft P, as maybe desirable in ironing collars and otherarticles of various different thicknesses and qualities of cloth.

By combining with the driving-shaft P and shafts D and O of the ironing'and clothed rollers the adjustable pinion X on the shaft P, the wheels and pinionsW V U'T S R Q N j is Z, and adjustable pinion m on the shaft D, the ironingroller A can be thereby made to turn either at about the same surface-speed as the clothed roller B, or at a much faster surface-speed than the latter, to produce either a lusterless or a polished ironed surface, and at the same time the speed of thosetwo rollers can be increased and lessened together, as required, for ironing articles of different thicknesses without altering the speed of the said driving-shaft.

What we claim as our invention is- 1. The combination of an ironing-roller adapted to be heated internally, and a tapering roller having an elastic covering with a surface of cloth or equivalent fabric, whereby articles of cloth may be passed between and ironed by those rollers in an arc of a circle or curved course, substantially as described. I 2-. The combination of a roller having an elastic covering with a surface of cloth or equivalent fabric, and an ironing-roller constructed to be heated internally, and with a creasing-rib, w, on and around the ironing roller, whereby articles of cloth will be ironed on one'side'only, and will at the same time have a groove-like crease made in the same side, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of an ironing-roller, constructed. and mounted so that it can be heated internally, and a roller coveredwith cloth or equilralent fabric, and constructed and mounted on a supporting and driving shaft, so as to rock thereon, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a roller, B, covered with cloth or equivalent fabric, and a hollow ironing-roller, A, open to and detachably seone end only of the ironing-roller, and a roller,

B, having a surface of cloth or equivalent fabric,-and detachably secured upon the overhanging part of a rotary shaft, 0, supported by journal-bearings at one end only of the said clothed roller, substantially as described.

6. In combinalion with a roller, B, having an outer covering of cloth or equivalent fabric, a hollow ironing-roller, A, upon and open to the interior of a tubular shaft, D, having a lateral aperture, h, surrounded by a flue, G, between the ironing-rollerand the adjacent journal-bearin g of its tubular shaft, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of a roller, B, having a covering of cloth .or equivalent fabric, and mounted on a shaft turning in stationary bearings, and a hollow ironing-roller, A, on and open to a tubular shaft, ]),mounted to turn in a pivoted journal-box, F, at the end farthest from the ironing-roller, and ina sliding journal-boa, F, adjacent to that roller, substan Y tially as shown and described.

, s. The combination of the clothed ronerB' on a shaft, O,'mounted to turn in a constant position, the ironing-roller A on a shaft, D, mounted toturn in the pivoted journal-box F and sliding journal-box F, and the weighted levers I, connected with the said sliding journal-box by rods H H, arranged to operate substantially as described.

9. The combination of theclothed roller B on the shaft 0, the ironing-roller A on the shaft D, mounted in thepivoted box F, and

the sliding box F, the weighted levers I, con- I necting-rods H H, lever M, rod I andtreadlelever K, substantially as described.

l0.-Theco.mbination of a hollow ironingroller capable of being heated internally, aroller having a surface covering of cloth, andadjustable gearing, by which the ironing-roller can be made to turn either at a faster surfacespeed than the clothed roller, so as to produce a polished ironed surface, or at substantially the same surface-speed as the clothed roller, so as to produce a lusterless ironed, surface, substantially as described.

11. In combination with an ironing-roller adapted to be heated internally, and a roller covered with cloth or equivalent fabric, and geared to turn in surface-contact with the ironing-roller, the rotary driving-shaft P connected withthe said geared rollers by adjustable gearing, substantially as described, whereby the said driving-shaft can be made to turn the'ironing and clothed rollers at different p rates of speed-suitable for ironing articles of different thicknesses.

12. In combination with an ironing-roller,

A, on the shaft'l), and a clothed roller, B, on the shaft 0, the driving-shaft P, having the adjustable pinion X thereon, the sets of wheels and pinious W V, U T, S R, the wheels Q.

THOMAS SHIRES wILEs. ALONZO P. ADAMS.

Witnesses:

AUs'rIN FORD PARK, JAMES T. GooDFELLoW. 

